Museum’s prospect of more income

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33774, 21 February 1975, Page 12

Museum’s prospect of more income

The prospect of an increase in income for the Canterbury Museum from the revaluation of the rateable capital value of Christchurch was “most welcome,” said the museum’s director (Dr R. S. Duff) yesterday.

To correct any impression that the increased museum levy would play a significant part'in over-all rate increases, figures supplied by the City Treasurer (Mr L. A. G. Rich) showed that a householder would pay only an extra 26c a year, Dr Duff said. This from throughout the rating area would bring the present total up from 88c to

$1.14. It was anticipated that when spread throughout the total rating area, the increase would increase the museum’s present total levy from $60,000 to more than ! $lOO,OOO. Before the new increase, the museum relied for it»: annual income on a rate lew set in 1947 for a building half its present size and with a staff of six, said Dr Duff.

Over the last two years, the museum had received its first income grant from the Government — a salary subsidy of $5500 annually to continue the museum’s assistance to district museums in the northern half of the South Island and in the Chatham Islands.

In spite of the increased income, subscribers to the building appeal — for which the board has now received $181,772 in cash of the pledged total of $251,300 — will be invited to make a voluntary extra pledge to help reduce its present “short fall” of $200,000 because of capital costs being increased by inflation and the events leading to the renegotiation of the building contract of the new wing to about slm.